Core Capital’s Tom Wheeler Named to FierceWireless List of Top U.S. Wireless Innovators of All Time

(November 13, 2008) – Last month the U.S. wireless industry officially marked the 25th anniversary of the day the first cellular system opened for business in Chicago. Many of the industry’s movers and shakers gathered in Chicago on Oct. 14 for the Wireless History Foundation’s gala celebrating the anniversary. That monumental event triggered a lot of discussion (and reminiscing) among the FierceWireless editorial team.

With the 25th anniversary in mind, we decided it was time to honor the contributions of some of the wireless industry’s foremost leaders and innovators with the FierceWireless list of Top U.S. Wireless Innovators of All Time.

The people on this list were selected by the FierceWireless editors with some input from our readers. And because FierceWireless is primarily a U.S.-based publication, this list is focused on innovators who helped shape the U.S. wireless industry. These innovators are true wireless pioneers but they were not just selected for their past contributions. They were also chosen because many are still active in the wireless industry today, making sure that their legacy lives on.

Martin Cooper, often referred to as the “father of cell phone,” led the list. Other innovators included Arlene Harris, Dale Hatfield, Irwin Jacobs, Craig McCaw, Morgan O’Brien, Herschel Shosteck, Denny Strigl, and Andrew Viterbi, one of the founders of Qualcomm.